Display devices



April 1966 M. D. EMERY 3,245,362

DISPLAY DEVICES Filed July 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

ME/PTO/V D. EMERY BY M W$ v 652* HHE/E- April 1966 M. D. EMERY 3,245,362

DISPLAY DEVICES Filed July 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. MERTO/VD. EMER) templated applying these principles.

3,245,362 DISPLAY DEVICES Merton D. Emery, Grand Haven, Micln, assignorto Haber Industries, Inc., Grand Haven, Mich, a corporation of MichiganFiled July 16, 1964, Ser. No. 383,057 13 Claims. (Cl. 108-31) Thisinvention relates to display devices and, more particularly, to displaydevices which are particularly well adapted for displaying articles ofmerchandise in retail stores, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a noveldisplay device for articles of merchandise.

Another object is to afford a novel display device which is particularlywell adapted for displaying relatively expensive articles ormerchandise, such as, for example, portable radios, and the like.

In the promotion and sale of articles of merchandise it is desirable tobe able to display the merchandise in such a manner as to permit theprospective customers to inspect it. When the merchandise is radios, andthe like, it often is highly desirable to display it in such a mannerthat the prospective customers can actually handle and operate them.However, this poses a serious problem with relatively expensive items,such as radios,

and the like, because of the danger of pilfering. It is an importantobject of the present invention to enable articles of merchandise, suchas radios, and the like, to be displayed in a novel and expeditiousmanner whereby the merchandise is fully exposed for inspection, handlingand operation by prospective customers, and, yet, is effectivelyprotected against shoplifting.

Another object is to prevent, in a novel and expeditious manner, theunauthorized removal of articles of merchandise from a display device.

A further object is to afford a novel display device of theaforementioned type wherein the articles of merchandise may be quicklyand easily mounted on and removed from the device by authorizedpersonnel.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel displaydevice of the aforementioned type which may be readily adapted to holdarticles of diiferent size.

An object ancillary to the foregoing is to enable such a novel displaydevice to simultaneously hold a plurality of difierent size articles ofmerchandise.

Yet another object is to afford a novel display device of theaforementioned type wherein the height thereof may be quickly and easilyadjusted.

A further object is to afford a novel display device of theaforementioned type which is attractive in appearance, and on whichadvertising materials, such as, for example, signs, and the like, may bemounted in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object is to afford a novel display device of the aforementionedtype which is practical and efficient in operation, and which may bereadily and economically produced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which,

by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be thebest mode in which I have con- Other embodiments of the inventionembodying the structural changes may be made as desired by those skilledin the art without departing from the present invention and the purviewof the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a display device United StatesPatent embodying the principles of the present invention, showing thedevice in extended position;

FIG. 2 is a front eievational view of the display device shown in FIG.1, showing the device in lowered or collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 44 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a portion of a displaydevice shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 6A6A, in FIG. 4, with certain parts broken away; 7

FIG. 6B is a fragmentary deta l sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 6B6B in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 77 in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 8-8 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 99 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 1010in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 1111 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 12.12 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 1313 in FIG. 12.

A display device 1, embodying the principles of the present invention,is shown in the drawings to illustrate the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

The display device 1 embodies, in general, a base 2 on which is slidablymounted a supporting structure 3 for supporting the articles ofmerchandise to be displayed, the supporting structure 3 being adjustablevertically relative to the base 2 between a fully raised position shownin FIG. 1 and a fully lowered position shown in FIG. 2, to therebyadjust the height at which the articles are displayed on the device 1.

The supporting structure 3 includes two horizontally exten-ding,substantially parallel bars4 and 5 mounted on the upper and lower ends,respectively, of two vertically extending substantially parallel bars 6and 7, FIGS. 1 and 2. The bars 4-7 may be made of any suitable materialsuch as sheet steel.

The bars 5-7 are preferably tubular and rectangular in transversecross-section, and the lower end portions of the vertical bars 6 and 7preferably extend through the lower bar 5 and are secured thereto bysuitable means such as welding. The upper bar 4 has a bottom wall 8, arear wall 9 and a front wall 10, with the walls 9 and 10 projectingupwardly from the bottom wall 8 in substantially parallel relation toeach other, FIGS. 1 and 6A. An elongated slide member 11 is slidablymounted in the upper bar 4 by suitable pin and slot connections 12 and13, FIGS, 2, 3 and 6A, for longitudinal sliding movement relativethereto, for a purpose which will be discussed in greater detailpresently. The slide 11 is disposed in substantially parallel relationto the bottom wall 8 of the upper bar 4, and forms the upper wall of thelatter. The upper end portions of the vertical bars 6 and 7 projectupwardly into the upper bar 4, and are secured thereto by suitable meanssuch as welding in downwardly spaced relation to the slide 11.

Six supporting rods 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, made of suitablematerial, such as steel rods, are mounted in, and extend between thebars 4 and 5 in substantially parallel, spaced relation to each other,FIGS. 1 and 2. As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 the rods 14 and 15 aredisposed in the left end portions of the bars 4 and 5; the rods 16 and17 are disposed in the intermediate portions of the bars 4 and 5; andthe rods 18 and 19 are disposed in the right-end portions of the bars 4and 5. The supporting rods 14-19 afford supporting members for aplurality of shelves on which articles of merchandise may be displayed.In the display device shown in the drawings 3 shelves 20, 21, and 22extend between and project forwardly from the rods 14 and in verticallyspaced, substantially parallel relation to each other; six shelves 23,24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 are mounted on and project forwardly from thesupporting rods 16 and 17, with the shelves 24 and 26 supported solelyby the rods 16, the shelves 25 and 27 supported solely by the rod 17,and with the shelves 23 and 28 extending between and supported by bothof the rods 16 and 17; and three shelves 29, 30, and 31 are mounted onand project forwardly from the supporting rods 18 and 19. The shelves-31 may be secured to the aforementioned respective supporting rods bysuitable means such as, for example, welding.

The shelves 20-27 are identical in construction to each other, exceptthat the shelves 24-27 are smaller in size than the shelves 20-23. Theshelves 28-31 are also identical in construction to each other.

Each of the shelves 20-27 includes a substantially horizontallyextending bottom wall 32; substantially parallel upwardly projectingrear and front walls 33 and 34, respectively; and oppositely disposed,substantially parallel upwardly projecting side walls 35 and 36, FIGS.1, 8, and 10. Each of the shelves 28-31 also includes a substantiallyhorizontally extending bottom wall 37, and upwardly projecting,substantially parallel rear and front walls 38 and 39, respectively, butdoes not include side walls, FIGS. 1 and 12.

Four slide rods 40, 41, 42, and 43, made of suitable material such assteel rod, are slidably mounted in the bottom wall 8 of the upper bar 4and project downwardly therefrom behind the supporting bars 14, 16, 17,and 18, respectively, in closely adjacent, substantially parallelrelation thereto, FIG. 1. The slide 11 mounted in the upper bar 4 has aplurality of openings 44, FIG. 3, extending therethrough and spaced fromeach other longitudinally of the slide 11. The openings 44 are disposedin such position in the slide 11 that when the latter is in actuatedposition, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, wherein the left end 45 ofthe slide 11, as viewed in FIG, 3, is disposed in abutting engagementwith the adjacent end 46 of the her 4, each of openings 44 is disposedin vertical alignment with a respective one of the supporting rods14-19. The openings 44 are elongated transversely of the slide 11 andwhen the respective openings 44 are disposed vertically above thesupporting rods 14, 16, 17, and 18, they are also disposed in verticalalignment with the slide rods 40-43, respectively, for a purpose whichwill be discussed in greater detail presently.

The supporting rods 14 and 15, and the slide rod 40 are substantiallystraight, and three substantially V- shaped retainer members 47, FIGS.1, 2, and 8, which are identical in construction, are slidably mountedon the supporting rods 14 and 15 in upwardly spaced relation torespective ones of the shelves 20-22. Each of the retainer members 47has a loop 48 and 49 formed at each end thereof and disposed around thesupporting rods 14 and 15, respectively, FIG, 8. The loops 48 on theretainer members 47 are also disposed around the slide rod 40, and aresecured thereto by suitable means such as welding. Each of the retainermembers 47 is hook-shaped, the front end thereof projecting downwardlyto afford a downwardly projecting front flange 50, FIGS. 8 and 9.

The loops 48 extending around the supporting rod 14 and the slide rod 40afford guide members which are effective to hold the slide rod 40 inclosely adjacent relation to the supporting rod 14. When the slide 11 inthe upper bar 4 is disposed in the aforementioned actuated position, theslide rod 40 is slidable upwardly and downwardly relative to thesupporting rod 14 through the opening 44 disposed thereabove, to therebymove the retainer members 47 upwardly and downwardly relative to theshelves 20-22. When the slide 11 is disposed in normal position, asshown in solid lines in FIG. 3, wherein the openings 44 are disposed outof alignment with the supporting rods 14-19, the slide 11 is disposed inclosely overlying relation to the upper end of the slide rod 40, and iseffective to prevent upward movement of the slide rod 40 relative to thesupporting rod 14.

Thus, it will be seen that when it is desired to place an article ofmerchandise, such as, for example, a radio 52 shown diagrammatically inFIG. 2, on any one of the shelves 20-22, the slide 11 may be moved fromnormal position shown in solid line in FIG. 3 to the actuated positionshown in broken lines therein, and the slide rod 40, with the retainermembers 47 attached thereto may be moved upwardly through the alignedopening 44. With the retainer members 47 thus disposed in raisedposition, the article of merchandise 52 may be placed on the desiredshelf 20-22, and the slide rod 40 may then again be moved to fullylowered position, to thereby hook the retainer member 47 disposedimmediately above the particular shelf 20-22 on which the article isdisposed over that article, and the slide 11 may again be moved into theaforementioned normal position to again block upward movement of theslide rod 40. With the retainer member 47 so disposed over the article,and with the slide rod 40 held against upward movement, the retainermember 47 is effective to secure the article on the shelf 21 againstremoval therefrom, the flanges 33-36 preventing lateral withdrawal ofthe article from the shelf, and the retainer member 47 preventingvertical removal therefrom.

Three other retainer members 51, which are identical to each other inconstruction, are mounted on the supporting rods 18 and 19 aboverespective ones of the shelves 29-31, FIGS. 1 and 2. The retainermembers 51 are substantially U-shaped, with the closed central portion52 thereof projecting forwardly, FIGS. 12 and 13. The free end portionsof the retainer members 51 afford the rear portions thereof, and eachhas a loop 53 and 54, respectively, formed therein. The retainer members51 are freely slidable on the slide rod 43 and the supporting rods 18and 19, with the loops 54 disposed around the supporting rod 19, and theretainer members 51 extending therefrom around the supporting rod 18,with the loops 53 disposed around the slide rod 43, FIG. 12.

The supporting rods 18 and 19 and the slide rod 43 are substantiallystraight and two substantially U-shaped brackets 55 are mounted on thesupporting rod 18 and extend around the slide rod 43 to afford guidechannels for retaining the slide rod 43 in closely adjacent relation tothe supporting rod 18, and guiding the slide rod 43 during verticallongitudinal movement thereof relative the supporting rod 18.

The retainer members 51 are adapted to be used in connection witharticles of merchandise having an opening therethrough, such as, forexample, a loop-type handie on the top of a portable radio, or the like,through which the retainer member 51 may be extended to hold the articleof merchandise against removal from the supporting structure 3. When itis desired to mount an article of merchandise, such as a radio 56 havinga loop-type handle 57 on the top thereof, as illustrateddiagrammatically in FIG. 2, on one of the shelves 29-31, such as, forexample the shelf 29, the slide 11 may be moved into the aforementionedactuated position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the sliderod 43 may be moved upwardly along the supporting rod 13 through theopening 44 disposed thereabove to a position wherein the lower end ofthe slide rod 43 moves upwardly out of the loop 53 of the retainermember 51 which it is desired to secure to the article of merchandise.Thus when the article is to be disposed on the top shelf 29, as shown inFIG. 2, the slide 11 may be moved into actuated position, and the sliderod 43 moved upwardly through the upper bar 4 into position wherein thelower end thereof is disposed above the loop 48 of the upper retainermember 51 to thereby free the end portion of the retainer member 51 onwhich the loop 53 is disposed. The article 56 may then be placed on theshelf 29, and this lastmentioned end portion of the upper retainermember 51 may be inserted through the handle 57, the loop 53 may againbe positioned behind the supporting rod 18, and the slide rod 43 maythen be moved downwardly through the loop 53 into its normal loweredposition, and the slide 11 may be moved back into its aforementionednormal position. With the retainer member 51 and the slide rod 43 so.disposed relative to each other, the retainer member 51 is effective tosecure the article 56 leaving the article 56 available to be handled,operated and even lifted from the shelf by prospective customers.

The supporting rods 14, 15, 18, and 19, and the slide rods 40 and 43 aresubstantially straight. However, supporting rods and slide rods whichare not straight, throughout their lengths, may also be used. Thus, forexample, supporting rods 16 and 17 and the slide rods 41 and 42 are notstraight throughout their lengths. The supporting rods 16 and 17 haveintermediate portions 58 and 59, respectively, which are offsetforwardly from the remainder thereof, the upper portions 58a and 59a andthe lower portions 581; and 59b of the intermediate portions 58 and 59,respectively, being equal in length and being disposed in substantiallyhorizontally extending position, FIG. 1. The slide rods 41 and 42 alsohave forwardly projecting intermediate portions 66 and 61, respectively,which are disposed in parallel relation to the intermediate portions 58and 59. The intermediate portions 60 and 61, in their lowered positions,as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, terminate at their upper ends a sufficientdistance below the portions 58a and 59b of the supporting rods 16 and17, respectively, that when the slide 11 is disposed in actuatedposition, the slide rods -41 and 42 may be moved upwardly relative tothe supporting rods 16 and 17 through the desired length of travel.

Another retainer member 51, which is identical in construction to theretainer members 51 mounted on the supporting rods 18 and 19, is mountedon the lower end portions of the supporting rods 16 and 17, FIGS. 1 and2. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the slide rod 42 terminates at its lowerend in upwardly spaced relation to the retainer member 51 mounted on thesupporting rods 16 and 17, but the lower end portion of the slide rod 41projects downwardly through the loop 53 thereof. The slide rod 41terminates at its lower end a sufiicient distance above the shelf 28that when it is desired to release the loop 53 from the lower endportion of the slide rod 41, the slide 11 may be moved into theaforementioned actuated position, and the slide rod 41 may be movedupwardly a sutficient distance to move the lower end thereof upwardlyout of the loop 53.-

In the display device 1 shown in the drawings, another retainer member62 is disposed on the slide rods 41 and 42 above the shelf 23, FIGS. 1and 2. The retainer member 62 is annular, and rectangular in shape,extending around the upper end portions of the slide rods 42 and thesupporting rods 16 and 17. The rear portion of the retainer member 62 issecured to the slide rods 41 and 42 by suitable means such as, forexample, welding and is movable therewith. The retainer member 62 isparticularly well, adapted for securing an article of merchandise havinga top portion which is smaller in transverse cross-sectional size thanthe immediately underlying portion thereof on the shelf 23. When it isdesired to secure such an article on the shelf 23, the slide 11 may bemoved into actuated position, and the slide rods 41 and 42 may be raisedto thereby raise the retainer mem ber 62 away from the shelf 23. Thearticle to be secured to the shelf 23 may be disposed thereon with theupper end portion thereof disposed below the retainer member 62, and theslide rods 41 and 42 may then be moved downwardly to dispose theretainer member 62 around the aforementioned top portion of the articlemounted on the shelf 23. The slide 11 may then be moved into itsaforementioned normal position, wherein it is effective to preventupward movement of the slide rods 41 and 42, and the article is thussecured in position on the shelf 23, the flanges 33-36 thereof and theretainer member 62 pre venting lateral movement of the article from theshelf 23, and the annular member 62, which overlies the larger portionof the article, preventing upward removal of the article from the shelf23.

Another retainer member 63, FIGS. 1, 2, and 10, is disposed on thesupporting rods 16 and 17 in overlying relation to the shelves 26 and27. The retainer member 63 includes a substantially, horizontallyextending rear bar 64 disposed between the slide rod 41 and thesupporting rod 16 and between the slide rod 42 and the supporting rod17, FIG. 10. The rear bar 64 is secured to the slide rods 41 and 42 bysuitable means such as welding. Two substantially U-shaped arms 65 and66 project forwardly from respective end portions of the rear bar 64 inenclosing relation to the supporting rods 16 and 17, respectively. Thearms 65 and 66 are disposed vertically above the shelves 26 and 27,respectively, and each has a downwardly projecting flange 67 at thefront end thereof.

' The retainer member 63 is movable upwardly and downwardly with theslide rods 41 and 42 relative to the supporting rods 16 and 17 and theshelves 26 and 27, when the slide 11 is disposed in the aforementionedactuated position. Thus, when it is desired to secure articles ofmerchandise on the shelves 26 and 27, the slide rods 41 and 42 may bemoved upwardly to thereby move the retainer member 63 upwardly away fromthe shelves 26 and 27, with the slide 11 disposed in actuated position,the articles of merchandise may be placed on the shelves 26 and 27; therods 41 and 42, together with the retainer member 63 may then be moveddownwardly into position to hook the arms 65 and 66 over the articlesdisposed on the shelves 26 and 27, respectively, in overlying engagementtherewith; and the slide 11 may then be moved back into its normalposition to thereby secure the slide rods 41 and 42 and the retainermember 63 against upward movement relative to the shelves 26 and 27.

Another retainer member 68 is mounted on the supporting rods 16 and 17above the shelves 24 and 25. The retainer member 63 is identical inconstruction to the retainer member 63 except that the rear member 69thereof is not straight, the opposite end portions of the member 69being disposed in vertically offset, substantially parallel relation toeach other, FIG. 2. The retainer member 68 embodies two arms 70 and 71which are identical in construction to the arms 65 and 66 of theretainer member 63, the arms 70 and 71 being secured to the upper andlower end portions, respectively, of the rear member 69 in forwardlyprojecting, overlying relation to the shelves 24 and 25. Like the arms65 and 66, the arms 70 and 71 are disposed in enclosing relation to thesupporting rods 16 and 17, and

the rear member 69 is disposed between the slide rods 41 and 42 and thesupporting rods 16 and 17, and is secured to the slide rods 41 and 42 bysuitable means such as welding. The operation of the retainer member 68relative to the shelves 24 and 25 is identical to the operation of theretainer member 63 relative to the shelves 26 and 27, previouslydescribed, except that the arm 71 is disposed closer to the shelf 25than the arm 70 is disposed relative to the shelf 24 in all positions ofthe retainer member 68, so that the arm 71 is adapted to secure asmaller article of merchandise on the shelf than the arm 70 is adaptedto secure on the shelf 24.

The base 2 of the display device 1 includes a foot member 73 having twoears 74 and 75 projecting upwardly therefrom, FIGS. 1 and 613. Twoelongated substantially straight tubular legs 76 and 77 are slidablymounted on the ears 74 and 75, respectively, in removable relationthereto. The legs 76 and 77 project vertically upwardly from the footportion 73 into position directly rearwardly of the vertical bars 6 and7, respectively, of the supporting structure 3, in closely adjacent,parallel relation thereto.

The legs 76 and 77 have substantially U-shaped brackets mounted on theupper end portions thereof and projecting forwardly therefrom, with thebrackets 78 and 79 extending around the bars 6 and 7, respectively, toafford guides therefor. Similarly, the bars 6 and 7 have substantiallyU-shaped brackets 80 and 81 mounted thereon, respectively, below thelower bar 5, the brackets 86 and 81 projecting rearwardly from the bars6 and 7 and being disposed around the legs 76 and 77 to afford guidechannels therefor.

With this construction, the supporting structure 3 may be moved upwardlyand downwardly along the legs 76 and 77, the legs 76 and 77 sliding inthe brackets 80 and 81, respectively and the bars 6 and 7 sliding in thebrackets 78 and 79, respectively. Suitable holding members such as thumbscrews 82, FIGS. 3 and 5, are mounted in the brackets 78 and 79 in suchposition that they may be manually engaged with the bars 6 and to holdthe latter 7 in adjusted position relative to the legs 76 and 77, andmay be manually disengaged from the bars 6 and 7 to free the latter forvertical sliding movement relative to the legs 76 and 77.

A substantially L-shaped plate 33 is mounted on and secured to thelongitudinal central portion of the upper face of the slide 11, FIGS. 3,6A, and 7. The plate 83 projects rearwardly from the slide 11, with theshort leg $4 thereof disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to the bar4, FIG. 3. An opening 85 extends downwardly through the short leg 84 fora purpose which will be discussed in greater detail presently.

A mounting plate 86 is hingedly mounted on the outer face of the rearwall 9 of the upper bar 4 by a hinge 87 for vertical swinging movementbetween an upright position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 6A and adownwardly extending position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 6A. Themounting plate 86 is disposed in such position on the bar 4, that whenthe slide 11 is disposed in the aforementioned normal position, and themounting plate 86 is disposed in the aforementioned upright position.The short leg 84 of the plate 83 is disposed rearwardly of the mountingplate 86 in position to prevent downward swinging movement of themounting plate 86. The mounting plate 86 has a notch 88 formed in theedge portion thereof in such position that it affords clearance betweenthe short leg 84 of the plates 83 and the plate 86 when the slide 11 isdisposed in the aforementioned actuated position, to thereby free themounting plate 86 for downward swinging movement from fully raisedposition to fully lowered position.

The hinge 87 has a plate 89 mounted thereon in perpendicular relation tothe mounting plate 86, the plate 89 having an opening 90 therein in suchposition that when the mounting plate 86 is disposed in fully raisedposition, with the slide 11 disposed in its aforementioned normalposition, the openings and 90 are disposed in vertical alignment witheach other, FIG. 7, so that suitable locking means, such as, forexample, the hasp of a padlock, not shown, may be inserted therethroughto lock the slide 11 against movement out of its aforementioned normalposition.

The mounting plate 86 also affords a support on which a sign, or likeadvertising material, such as the sign 91, FIGS. 1, 2, and 6A, may bemounted by suitable means such as bolts or rivets 92. With the sign 91thus mounted on the mounting plate 86, it not only affords advertisingmaterial, but it also affords a readily visible signal effective to showwhether the mounting plate 86 is disposed in proper position to latchthe slide 11 against movement from its aforementioned normal position,wherein it is effective to block movement of the slide rods 40-43 out oftheir normal lowered positions wherein they are ef fective to hold therespective retainer members in articlesecuring position on thesupporting structure 3.

If desired, other signs or advertising media, such as the sign 93 shownin FIG. 1 may be secured to the lower bar 5.

Preferably, the supporting rods 14-19 are slidably mounted in the bars 4and 5, the bar 5 being closed at the bottom to support the lower ends ofthe supporting rods 14-19, and the slide rods 40-43 therein. With thisconstruction, the supporting rods 14-19, and, therefore, the respectiveshelves mounted thereon may be quickly and easily changed. This may beaccomplished by moving the slide 11 into the aforementioned actuatedposition, and then moving the supporting rods 14 and 15, 16 and 17, or18 and 19, which it is desired to replace, upwardly through the openings4-4 aligned therewith until the lower ends th reof are disposed abovethe bar 5, and then move the rods 14-19, which are to be removeddownwardly at an angle to the bar 5 out of engagement with the bar 4.New rods 14-19 may be inserted in the bars 4-5 in a reverse manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention affords anovel display device wherein the supporting structure thereof, forsupporting the articles of merchandise to be displayed, may be quicklyand easily vertically adjusted to various display positions.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel displaydevice which is effective to secure articles of merchandise displayedthereon against unauthorized removal therefrom.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention affords a noveldisplay device which is operable in a novel and expeditious manner to sosecure articles of merchandise of various shapes, sizes, andconstruction.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel displaydevice which is practical and efficient in operation and which may bereadily and economically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variationand modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changesand alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A display device for displaying mechandise, said device comprising(a) a base,

(b) supporting means operatively mounted on said base for supportingsuch merchandise thereon, and

(c) retaining means mounted on said base for retaining said merchandiseon said supporting means,

(d) said retaining means comprising (1) means for overlying saidmerchandise in position to retain said merchandise on said supportingmeans, and

(2) slide means movably mounted on said base for movement into and outof position to hold said third-mentioned means in said retainingposition thereof.

2. A display device for displaying merchandise, said device comprising(a) supporting means,

(b) a shelf mounted on said supporting means and projecting horizontallytherefrom in position to support an article of such merchandise thereon,and

(c) means for securing said article in supported position on said shelf,

(d) said securing means comprising (1) retainer means for overlying saidarticle in position to so secure said article on said shelf, (2) slidemeans movable on said base between (a') one position elfective to holdsaid retainer means in said securing position, and (b') a secondposition effective to release said retainer means from said securingposition, and (3) means mounted onsaid base for movement between (a') aposition elfective to hold said slide means in said one position, and(b') another position effective to free said slide means for movementinto said second position.

3. A display device as defined in claim 2, and in which (a) said slidemeans comprise two elongated slide rods longitudinally movable betweensaid one position and said second position, and

(b) said securing means comprise a substantially hookshaped membermounted on and carried by said two slide rods for movement therewithbetween (1) a seeming position wherein said member is hooked over saidarticle on the side thereof remote from said shelf when said rods aredisposed in said one position, and

(2) another position wherein said member is disposed in spaced relationto said article when said slide rods are disposed in said secondposition.

4. A display device as device as defined in claim 2, and

in which (a) said slide means comprise two elongated slide rodslongitudinally movable between said one position and said secondposition, and

(b) said securing means comprise a substantially annular-shaped membermounted on and carried by said two slide rods for movement therewithbetween (1) a securing position wherein said member is disposed aroundsaid article on the side thereof remote from said shelf when said rodsare disposed in said one position, and

(2) another position wherein said member is disposed in spaced relationto said article when said slide rods are disposed in said secondposition.

5. A display device as defined in claim 2, and in which (a) said slidemeans comprises an elongated slide rod movable between said one positionand said second position,

(b) said retainer means comprises an elongated member adapted to extendthrough a portion of said arti' cle when said securing means aredisposed in said securing position, and

(c) said slide means (1) when in said one position, extends through saidelongated member in position to prevent withdrawal thereof from saidarticle, and

(2) when in said second position, is free from said elongated member tothereby free the latter for withdrawal from said article.

6. A display device as defined in claim 2, and in which (a) saidlast-mentioned means comprise a slide (1) having openings therethrough,and

(2) being movable between (a') a position to overlie said slide means inposition to block movement thereof from said one position to said secondposition, and

(b') another position effective to align said openings with said slidemeans to thereby free said slide means for movement between said oneposition and said second position.

i0 7. A display device for displaying articles of merchandise, saiddevice comprising (a) supporting means including an elongated upper barand an elongated lower bar disposed in spaced, substantially parallelrelation to each other,

(b) a plurality of elongated rods extending between and mounted in saidbars,

(c) horizontally extending shelves mounted on and supported by certainof said rods in position to support respective articles of merchandisethereon,

(d) other of said rods being slidably mounted in said upper bar forlongitudinal movement transversely therethrough between a raisedposition and a lowered position,

(e) means on said upper bar and movable, when said other rods aredisposed in said lowered position, between (1) one position effective tooverlie said other rods in position to block movement thereof from saidlowered position to said raised position, and (2) a second positioneffective to free said other rods for movement between said loweredposition and said raised position, and (f) means for holding sucharticles mounted on said shelves against removal from the device, (g)said holding means being mounted on said other rods.

8. A display device as defined in claim 7, .and in which (a) certain ofsaid shelves have upstanding flanges thereon for enclosing the bottomsof said articles, (b) certain of said holding means are mounted onrespective ones of said other rods and movable therewith between (1) oneposit-ion overlying said articles on said certain shelves effective toclamp said articles on said certain shelves against removal from withinsaid flanges, when said other rods are disposed in said loweredposition, and (2) another position spaced from said articles on saidcertain shelves a suflicient distance to permit the removal of saidarticles from said certain shelves. 9. A display device as defined inclaim 8, and in which (a) each of said other rods is disposed inadjacent, substantially parallel relation to a respective one of saidcertain rods, and (b) said holding means are slidably mounted on saidcertain rods. 10. A display device as defined in claim 7, and in which(a) at least some of said holding means are slidably mounted onrespective pairs of said rods when said other rods are disposed in saidone position, with each of said pairs comprising one of said certainrods and one of said other rods, and (b) said last-mentioned other rodsare axially spaced from said holding means when said last-mentioned rodsare disposed in said raised position therefor. 11. A display device asdefined in claim 7, and in which (a) said means on said upper barcomprises an elongated member (1) having longitudinally spaced openingsextending therethrough, and (2) longitudinally slidable longitudinallyof said upper bar between (a') a position effective to align saidopenings with said other rods to thereby free said other rods formovement between said lowered position and said raised position, and(b') another position to overlie said other rods with said openingsdisposed out of alignment therewith to thereby prevent movement of saidother rods from said lowered position to said raised position.

1 1 12. A display device as defined in claim 11, and which includes I(a) latch means on said upper bar and on said elongated member forholding said elongated member in said other position. 13. A displaydevice as defined in claim 7, and in which (a) said supporting meansalso includes (1) two other upper and lower bars, (2) upright barsextending between said two other upper and lower bars, and (3) otherupright bars (a) extending between said first-mentioned upper and lowerbars, and b) slidably mounted on and supported by References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1909 Harding IDS-31 3/1960Jacobson 2114 4/1961 Young 10831 3/1963 Gray 248-23 1/1965 Schultz eta1. 211-4 4/ 1965 Levy 21164 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/1930 France.

FRANK B.- SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

said first-mentioned upright bars for 1ongi- 15 G O. FINCH, AssistantExaminer tudinal sliding movement relative thereto.

1. A DISPLAY DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING MECHANDISE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING(A) A BASE, (B) SUPPORTING MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FORSUPPORTING SUCH MERCHANDISE THEREON, AND (C) RETAINING MEANS MOUNTED ONSAID BASE FOR RETAINING SAID MERCHANDISE ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, (D)SAID RETAINING MEANS COMPRISING (1) MEANS FOR OVERLYING SAID MERCHANDISEIN POSITION TO RETAIN SAID MERCHANDISE ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, AND (2)SLIDE MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OFPOSITION TO HOLD SAID THIRD-MENTIONED MEANS IN SAID RETAINING POSITIONTHEREOF.